Office Tips

Office Tips

  1. I am not a technical expert – but my understanding is that “bad” computer things look for the C drive to install themselves, because most computers are set up with C as the boot drive and where the executable programs live. So if you set up your computer so that your programs are loaded to, and boot from, any drive that is not the C drive you have probably reduced your risk from “bad” computer things. Especially if your machine still has a C drive and it contains the “standard” C drive file structure. – Kenneth Dowdall, EA

 

  1. Hackers and identity thieves spend all their time looking for ways to access information on other people’s computers so security software is typically reactionary to the hacker’s advances.  So, no matter how diligent you are on updating your security software there is always a window of exposure.  Given the nature of our business, our computers are what a thief would call a target rich environment.  And we are probably easy to identify because of the tax research web sites we access.  So does it make sense to have your business data exposed to the internet 24/7?  Have you considered that buying a second computer and making that your online computer – (and keeping it free of all client data) would greatly reduce your risk.  You would then only have to connect your business computer to the internet when you needed to update your tax software or  e- file returns.  Say no more than 5 – 10 minutes a day during the season. – Kenneth Dowdall, EA

 

 

  1. If you like Facebook and have a page, then you will love this tip.  There is a group of Tax Pros that have a page and you can ask questions, read other questions, and get to know other Tax Pros across the Country.  The group is called Tax Pros.  Look it up. – Amy Brosnan, RTRP

 

  1. Want to make your Office Audit Proof?  NATP offers an outstanding book called “Audit Proof the Tax Office.”  It is $75, but worth every penny.  Visit the Tax Store to purchase.   – Sandra Torrence, EA

 

 

 

Do you have a great tip that would help your fellow tax pros out?  E-mail me the tip at abrosnanrtrp@gmail.com.  I would like to share them here.